


i never found a place (holier than this)

by capsize (copenhagenborn)



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Clark Kent tries to be a good parent, Clark is oblivious, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Lois Lane is a good parent, M/M, Misunderstandings, Relationship Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copenhagenborn/pseuds/capsize
Summary: “You know, back when I was your age – ah, maybe a bit older. I did a bit of dabbling of my own,” Clark offers with a smile. He sends Bruce a firm glance to keep him from saying anything crass, but the man doesn’t look particularly bothered.Tim does however choke on his drink.Conner shudders and rolls his eyes, “Please don’t call it dabbling.”Clark frowns, “Well I thought experimentation might have some negative connotations, so.”“I meant please don’t compare my relationship with my boyfriend with whatever you did with guys in the past.” Conner says slowly, looking at Clark oddly.or, Clark tries to be a good dad, Conner wants to move in with his boyfriend, and Lois is just there for a good time.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent
Comments: 16
Kudos: 272





	i never found a place (holier than this)

**Author's Note:**

> this has been stuck in my head over the past few days, so here's to hoping Clark 'I've kissed a couple of guys in my days, so I'm fully on board with bi-culture' 'oh, my son has a boyfriend? huh.' Kent either starts paying rent or leaves the premise permanently.
> 
> title from the wilderness by Maya De Vitry.

“Hey,” Conner says as he slides onto one of the chairs by the breakfast bar.

Clark throws a smile over his shoulder but doesn’t stop doing the dishes, “Hello Kon. How was school?”

Conner shrugs, “Alright, I guess. I have an English essay due on Friday if you or Lois have time to look it over.” 

“Yeah?” Clark says gently, “I think we could make that happen. You can just drop it on the drive when you’re done then one of us will go through it.”

Conner nods slowly but he doesn’t leave immediately like he usually does, tired after a day of school and wanting nothing more than crawl into bed.

“Anything else on your mind there?” Clark asks. He turns back to the dishes, so he doesn’t spook him and instead goes to work on the cast iron pan from last night.

“Well, um,” Conner says quietly. He lets out a deep breath before he starts talking again, “I was just wondering if we could have the Bat’s over for dinner sometime this week?” Conner says.

“The Bat’s?” Clark asks neutrally.

Conner doesn’t look up when Clark turns around to look at him, too occupied with peeling the orange in his hands.

Clark frowns. Conner usually doesn’t like citrus fruits.

“Well, the Wayne’s I guess, but –“

“No, no,” Clarks says with a frown. He reaches out and Conner easily relinquishes the orange to him, but his fingers go straight to ripping up a piece of paper towel left over from Jon’s breakfast. “I know the family you’re talking about. Just – why?”

Conner shrugs, his eyes flicking up to Clark’s. “Just, I don’t know. It’s been a while since we’ve all been together, hasn’t it? Without having the world’s destiny hanging over our heads, I mean.”

Conner generally doesn’t ask much of him.

He seems to openly accept whatever degree of parental affection Clark is willing to give him, no matter how small it was at some points. Clark still struggles with the circumstances of his origin, the violation of his person and the sudden realization that in no sense but biological, he now had a teenage kid.

But Clark also understands Conner’s life has been hard enough without him making it worse. So he always hesitates not to just give in to whatever Conner asks of him now, especially when it’s something small like this that can easily be accomplished.

“Yeah, I’m sure we can figure something out,” He says evenly and reaches out to squeeze Conner’s shoulder. Conner only looks mildly surprised, and Clark takes that as a win. “But it might be better to have dinner at Wayne Manor. I’m not sure our dining room can fit that many people.”

Metropolis property isn’t cheap, and with the requirement of three bedrooms and an office, he and Lois weren’t allowed much leeway for the rest of the rooms.

Jon had brought up the concept of bunk beds and sharing a room with Conner, eager to have him stay in the city more than his Smallville room allowed for. Conner with his arms around a smiling Jon had sheepishly agreed, “Yeah, bud. That would be kinda cool, huh?”

But Conner deserved his own room, somewhere that was entirely his and wasn’t just another thing of Clark’s being repurposed.

“Um,” Conner says intelligently. He’s still tense under Clark’s hand but there’s a smile on his face when he looks up at Clark. “We don’t have to invite all of the Bat’s. Just like, Mr. Wayne and then maybe Damian for Jon’s sake.”

Clark frowns. “You don’t want Tim there?”

“No, yeah. Of course, he would be there.” Conner says with an odd look. “But I think he got his brothers covered, so it’s really just three more than usual. That’s possible to do, right?”

Clark gives him a long look.

He seems too nervous for the situation at hand. Clark and Bruce might not be on the best terms but it’s nothing worse than usually, and they’re generally on the warmer end of civil around the kids.

“I’ll check in with Lois, but that seems fine,” Clark tells him with a smile. “But you’re doing the dishes, and if any of us needs help with dinner, you better bring you’re A-game.”

Conner nods quickly and gets up from his chair, already moving towards his room, “Yeah, that’s totally fine. I’ll let Tim know!”

. . .

Dinner goes by without trouble.

Lois only rolled her eyes when Clark had asked for her input, “I mean it’s a bit overdue, but I’m happy the kid finally asked.”

Jon and Damian disappear when they’re done clearing the table, sneaking off to Jon’s room with a plate of brownies after some not so subtle looks from Conner and Tim.

“Mom, can Damian stay over?” Jon asks on his way out. He doesn’t pause in his path until he’s almost already out of the room, turning his head back to give his mother a brilliant smile.

“I don’t know, can he?” Lois replies with cheek and returns his smile. When neither Jon nor Damian finds her joke funny, she rolls her eyes and sighs, “If Bruce is alright with it, then yes, sweetie.”

“Father, would that be agreeable?” Damian asks Bruce who only smiles gently.

“Yes, Damian. I think that would be alright,” Bruce says, “I’ll let Alfred know not to expect you for breakfast.”

Damian nods curtly, “Thank you, father.”

“Motherhood suits you, Lois.” Bruce says warmly when the two of them have left the room.

“Thank you, I do enjoy it.” Lois smiles and reaches for her glass, “I would like a bit more appreciation for my comedic abilities, but you make do with what you have, I guess.”

“I think you’re very funny, Lois.” Conner is quick to say.

“Thanks, dear, but actions do speak louder than words, you know.”

“I thought journalists liked their words.” Tim teases. He bumps shoulders with a still red Conner who ducks his head and leans back into Tim’s touch.

“Oh, we do, Tim. We do,” Lois smiles widely, “But laughter is still very good for our egos. Now, why don’t you tell us why we’re all here tonight?” 

Conner lets out a deep breath and then looks up directly at Clark, “Uh, you guys know I love my room here, I love being close to you and Jon and it works really well with school, but ah. Tim and I talked about maybe moving in together after his birthday.”

Tim coughs pointedly.

“Okay well, we’re definitely doing that, if you know. You don’t totally hate that idea.” Conner continues sheepishly.

“Oh,” Clark says a bit stumped, “I didn’t see that coming.”

“No ah, I would agree with you on that.” Bruce adds reluctantly.

Bruce hasn’t stopped looking at Tim since Conner started talking about moving out, a deep-set frown on his face. He doesn’t look mad, but there’s a hint of something odd that Clark can’t quite identify.

Tim looks up and meets his father’s eyes with a soft smile. 

Tim’s shoulders are tense, and Clark can almost feel the nervousness pouring off him, but none of it can be seen on his face. He carries himself beautifully as he looks from one adult to another before he ends up on Bruce once again, and maybe now Clark understands why a teenager is allowed to run a billion-dollar company.

“Well, I already have a place in Gotham we would move in to,” Tim offers calmly, and even his voice doesn’t show signs of his distress. “It has a couple of guestrooms, so there should be space for Kon’s stuff. It’s also close to the station, so he doesn’t have to get up –“ 

Conner is nodding along to Tim’s description of the place, and like everything else Bruce has ever offered Clark, it does sound a bit too good to be true. Clark absolutely hates it.

“Huh. I mean, I guess we could find you somewhere closer to home if you’re looking for more freedom,” Clark says reluctantly. The idea of Conner moving out – to Gotham of all places – really doesn’t sit well with him. “That way Ma could stay with us when she comes to visit.”

“Well, I mean the point was to live with Tim, though.” Conner says with a frown. He looks away from his friend and meets Clark’s gaze, his facial expression an almost perfect mirror of Clark’s own. 

At some point, Clark would probably have hated that, the reminder of how they were linked. But Clark feels nothing but love and reluctance at having to give him up so soon after they’ve reconnected.

“But I mean, we could always look at places closer to Metro –“ He’s cut off by Tim’s pointed look, only to pick up his thoughts at a slower pace, “Hmm, probably not, actually. But we’re really not going to be that far apart, with the flight distance and all. And the station of course.”

“Hmm.”

Clark didn’t know Conner and Tim were that good friends.

He knows Ma had been worried Conner would have a hard time making friends because of the circumstances of his upbringing. And sure, Tim has been there for most parts and somehow always seems to stick around when Conner is in a tough spot. But he didn’t think it extended beyond their extracurricular responsibilities, nor that Conner would rather live with him than the family who loves him.

“Well boys, I think it sounds very exciting,” Lois says kindly and reaches over to squeeze Conner’s shoulder. She pointedly doesn’t return Clark’s stare and instead keeps her eyes on Conner who’s still looking a bit cautious.

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to wait another year before moving out?” Bruce asks with a sad smile.

Tim shakes his head with a smile and reaches over to squeeze Bruce’s arm. “Not a chance, B. But I’ll still be around, and if you play your cards right, I might even let you in on the address.”

Bruce gives him a dark look, “You better.”

Tim just smiles.

“Well uh, let us know if you need some help decorating the place,” Clark says awkwardly and takes a big gulp of his wine, “I think I still have the number of the woman who did the kitchen, maybe add a bit of color to all that doom and gloom of Gotham. So uh, the ladies won’t mind sticking around and all.”

He’s seen some of the apartments young men live in these days, how they put a television on the wall with a couple of chairs around it and calls it a job well-done. If Conner is going to move out, it should at least be to someplace livable that won’t kill all his relationships before they even start.

Tim laughs.

“I uh, don’t think that’ll be a problem,” Conner says with mirth.

“Ah! Of course,” Clark says with a nod.

He knows Conner is bisexual.

Connor hadn’t actually come out to him, but Clark had complimented one of the pins on his bags not knowing what it was for, “Hey, that’s really nice, Kon. Where did you get that?”

Conner looks up from his phone confused before finding what Clark’s pointing at. His entire head turns red and Clark can suddenly hear how fast his heart is beating, “Oh. That’s uh, you know like gay pride?” 

Clark frowns, “Yeah?”

“So, this is like the bi version of that.” Conner tells him slowly, “The uh, bisexual pride flag. Which um, I kinda am.”

Clark stays quiet, unsure how to continue.

“Bisexual, not the flag I mean.” Conner rambles on in efforts to fill the awkward silence. “Uh, bisexual is when you like two or more genders, it’s um, inclusive of all –“

Clark laughs, “Thanks kid, I know what bisexual mean.”

“Oh.” Conner lets out quietly, but at least he doesn’t look like he’s on the verge of a panic attack anymore.

“And I’m happy you told me, even if I did put you on the spot there. Sorry about that.”

Conner just nods his head.

He still doesn’t look entirely there yet so Clark leans over and squeezes his shoulder. He holds tight until Conner looks up to meet his eyes and sends him a warm smile.

“You know this doesn’t change anything, right?” He says seriously, “I still love you. You’re still, you know, my son. You liking guys as well doesn’t change any of that.”

Conner finally lets out a breath, “Yeah?”

“Yeah, totally. And Lois would feel the same if you were inclined to –“

“Oh, she already knows,” Conner says with a crooked smile, “She kinda walked in on and me –“

“That’s great, Kon. I’m glad to hear it.” Clark’s not sure he could handle telling Conner he loves him and hear about his sexual escapades on the same day, “Let me know if anyone does have a problem with it, alright?”

So while Conner’s sexuality wasn’t anything new, Clark hadn’t known Tim wasn’t straight as well. He also didn’t know Bruce’s stance on marriage equality, so he might be one of the guys Clark had to protect Conner against.

“You know, back when I was your age – ah, maybe a bit older. I did a bit of dabbling of my own,” Clark offers with a smile. He sends Bruce a firm glance to keep him from saying anything crass, but the man doesn’t look particularly bothered.

Tim does however choke on his drink.

“Dude, I don’t think anyone here wanna hear about that.” Conner says with a wince and pats Tim on the back till he stops coughing.

“Please don’t call me dude, Kon.”

Conner shudders and rolls his eyes, “Anyway, also please don’t call it dabbling.”

Clark frowns, “Well I thought experimentation might have some negative connotations, so.” 

Tim snorts while Conner pretends to retch.

“I meant please don’t compare my relationship with my boyfriend with whatever you did with guys in the past.” Conner says slowly, looking at Clark oddly.

For a moment, Clark doesn’t know what to do.

He’s not dumb enough to ask who the boyfriend is. Even if he didn’t know before, it’s pretty clear now that he knows what to look for. How close the two of them are sitting, the faint mark on Tim’s neck not entirely covered by the high neck of his shirt, Tim’s hand conveniently out of sight as one of Conner’s plays with his hair.

Clark clears his throat awkwardly, and suddenly all eyes are on him.

“Clark, hon. Why are you looking all constipated?” Lois asks, her eyes narrowed.

“Well, you see – “

Tim lets out a quiet laugh, “I told you he didn’t know.”

“No, fuck that.” Conner denies and shrugs Tim off his shoulder, “He knows, right Clark? Tell him you knew we’re together.”

Clark sighs, “Kon, I –“

Lois joins in with Tim’s laughter.

“I guess obliviousness runs in the family, huh?” Tim says with a grin, “No offence, Clark. I’m sure Kon didn’t actually tell you, he probably just assumed you knew.”

“No, I told him.” Conner says firmly and turns to look at Clark, “I did, right? I totally told you.”

Clark smiles gently and that seems to do it for him as Conner crumbles onto Tim’s shoulder, “I’m sorry bud. I really don’t think you did.” Clark says softly and reaches out to squeeze Conner’s hand. “I guess a congratulation is in order.”

Conner whines, “Thanks dad, you’re just about a year late on that front.”

“Ah.” Clark says, “I guess it makes sense you want to move in with your boyfriend then.”

“Geez, Clark.” Lois sighs, “Thanks for joining the conversation, babe.”

“I guess this means you don’t mind us moving in together?” Tim asks lightly and nudges Conner upright. He’s still slumped onto the table but at least now he’s directing his glare at Clark instead of the floor.

“I mean, I would still like to see the apartment you’re moving into,” Clark says and reluctantly looks away from Conner to meet Tim’s gaze, “But I guess if it’s just the two of you anything will do just fine.”

Tim snorts but Conner finally looks a bit more alive, sneaking another brownie onto his plate.

“That’s a bit rude.”

“Sure, but the truth is that sometimes.” Clark smiles.

. . .

Later when the boys have been recruited to one of Jon’s games, the adults sit down in the living room with their glasses full.

Lois is still chuckling delightedly. “I simply cannot understand how you didn’t know. They’re teenagers, Clark. They’re not exactly subtle. I caught them making out in the kitchen more than I can count on my hands!”

Bruce grunts, “Please don’t remind me.”

Clark lets out a groan.

“You know I sent them over here thinking they would at least have some adult supervision,” Bruce continues with a shake of his head. He finally looks up from swirling his drinks and smiles softly, “Apologies, Lois. I didn’t know what a burden I was putting on your shoulders.”

Lois snorts, “Oh, Tim’s a sweetheart, I don’t mind.” She says sweetly and stretches out her legs, “Besides, I gave them the house rules in extension to the sex talk, so everything worked out fine.”

Clark chokes on his drink. “You what?!”

Lois nods and takes another sip of her wine, “Like don’t have sex when Jon might hear it, don’t walk around naked when everyone someone else is home. Stay safe, always asks for condoms if they need –“

Bruce downs his glass and eagerly reaches for the bottle on the table.

“You gave them the sex talk?” Clark asks, a bit staggered. He tries to keep his voice down, Jon is infamous for listening in on his parents talking, and Conner has taken to picking up his bad habits. “You gave my teenage son the sex talk so he could have sex with his teenage boyfriend?”

Lois smiles warmly and her eyes shine brightly before she rolls them.

“Please, Clark.” She says with mirth. “With your puritanical views on sex, you weren’t going to do it. And did you really want your mother to research the mechanics of gay sex? Because I’m sure Conner can sit through another if –“

“Stop, stop! You horrible woman,” Clark groans and covers his ears.

Lois gets up from the couch with a sigh, “You should really thank me, honey. I’m not sure your newfound father-son dynamic would have survived words like anal sex and prostate stimulation.” Despite his best efforts, Clark does wince at that. “But maybe you should give him a quick crash course in Krypton STIs just to be safe.”

Bruce snorts, which is really the wrong thing to do when Lois is in this kind of mood.

“Oh, don’t laugh mister ‘abstinence is the best contraception’ over there. I don’t know how you have the reputation of a playboy when your son is walking around with most of his Sex Ed coming from teen movies.”

Lois wipes her hands on her jeans and grabs her empty wine glass with a pointed smile, “Now boys, say ‘thank you, Lois’.”

“Thank you, Lois.” Clark and Bruce parrot back at her.

Lois smiles, “It was nice having you over, Bruce. Let’s do it again soon. I’ll pop my head in and say goodnight to the boys. Don’t cut the night short on my account, alright honey?”

“Yes dear,” Clark says indulgently and gets up to kiss her cheek, “I’ll make sure the boys get to bed at a reasonable time. Sleep tight, love you.”

“Love you too, babe.” Lois smiles and walks away.

“So, what the chance they break up any time soon?” Clark jokes when the silence between the two of them becomes just a bit too suffocating.

Bruce grunts, “Tim? Changing his mind on anything, never mind his best friend?” Bruce snorts, “You better find that son of yours a good lawyer to look over the prenup.”

Clark rolls his eyes, but there’s a soft smile on his face and even Bruce looks content. “Well, Ma did always want to have a wedding at the farm, something nice and summery. I bet Kon would love that.”

Bruce’s smile turns to a glare, “Over my dead body.”

**Author's Note:**

>  **The Batfam:** is almost entirely queer and lovingly supported by their father  
>  **Clark:** Hmm, what if Bruce is biphobic? Has to make sure he knows that doesn't fly here.  
>  **  
> **  
>  thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it just as much as I did.
> 
> be safe, take care of yourself, wear a mask, and (especially if you're american!!) remember to vote!


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